I am sure you have seen the shoeboxes. Bright red and green, some being carried home to be filled, others arriving back to be sent out. What are they and what do they have to do with you?

They are small boxes waiting to be filled with Christmas gifts for boys and girls around the world. Well maybe not what you would think of as a Christmas gift – a bar of soap, a small toy, a pencil or a toothbrush. They are collected and distributed as part of Operation Christmas Child and given to millions of children in need around the world by a Christ…

On a May Sunday morning in Belgium, 100 years ago, a fierce battle was fought in Ypres during the Great War. Less than 48 hours after it began, over 6,000 Canadian soldiers suffered casualties. Of those, more than 2,000 died. We were a young and small nation then, and by the end of the War an entire generation had been impacted.

During that fight in Ypres, one of the casualties was Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, a popular 22 year-old officer. He left his dugout momentarily only to be killed instantly by a direct hit from a German shell. His frien…

Our shipment of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes has arrived! Pick up your box (or boxes) in the Atrium this Sunday.Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, brings hope and joy to children around the world through gift-filled shoeboxes and the message of God's unconditional love.This year, we are challenging everyone to take part in one of three ways. 1) Pack a shoebox and return it no later than Sunday, November 22. 2) Donate toys, school supplies and hygiene items we can use to fill shoeboxes at our pack…

The happy noise of excited chatter filled the air as two dozen people gathered and greeted one another. The anticipation of our evening adventure ahead outweighed the slight gnawing of our stomachs. We had been asked to prepare by skipping dinner. Five hours later, having walked the downtown streets of Toronto in pairs, the room was quiet as we re-gathered. Tired, hungry and sobered, having spent two dollars or less each on food, we learned first-hand about hunger and homelessness our neighbours experience on a daily basis. Feeling just an edge…

Mark your calendars. Every other Saturday morning beginning October 17 we will be hosting an adult (16+) drop-in sports program from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. for the St. Paul’s community.

“This place has a gym? That is incredible!”

When we first started coming to St. Paul’s last September, we were surprised to hear the church has a gymnasium. We could hardly believe it. Right in the heart of downtown Toronto, an area where gym space is notoriously scarce, St. Paul’s has a beautiful full-size gym (if you have not seen it yet you can…

The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that St. Paul’s is exploring the next steps to sponsor a Syrian Refugee family in partnership with the Anglican United Refugee Alliance (AURA). On Monday, October 26 at 7 p.m. in Cody Hall, we will gather with a representative of AURA to hear exactly what is required for Syrian Refugee Resettlement in Canada. At that meeting we will plan tangible stages to move forward.

AURA represents both the Anglican Diocese of Toronto and the Toronto Conference of the United Church of Canada. AURA exists to…

Time, treasure and talent. The managing and sharing of these assets, for the glory of God, is stewardship in a nutshell.

This Sunday September 27, at our annual Ministry Fair, we will be showcasing all the different ministries we have here at St. Paul’s. We hope those ministries will meet your needs and feed your soul, be it your need to serve, or your need to be served.

The Ministry Fair is primarily about time and talent. Though money/treasure can be a sensitive subject, in our very busy lives, it is the sharing of our talents and t…

Did You Know? The average length of time using a food bank has doubled from one year to two years since 2008. The average food bank client spends 71 per cent of their income on rent or mortgage. This leaves $6.67 per person per day to cover food and all their other expenses.The Best Foods To DonateThe Daily Bread Food Bank accepts a variety of non-perishable food items, but here are some specifics they are always on the lookout for: Vegetables and fruits: vegetable juice, canned vegetables, pasta sauce, canned fruit, d…

Due to Open Streets TO parts of Bloor Street and Yonge Street will be closed to vehicle traffic on Sunday, September 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. Paul's is within the affected area.This is an opportunity to welcome those attending Open Streets TO into our community at St. Paul's. We encourage you to attend and welcome someone new.Bloor Street will be closed from Spadina Avenue to Parliament Street. Yonge Street will be closed from Bloor Street to Queen Street. These streets will be "soft closed", meaning veh…

There will be no parking available at Manulife this Sunday, August 30 due to parking lot maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience and hope it will not deter you from joining us this Sunday. Instead please utilize street parking, the Grace Hospital parking lot (at the corner of Church Street and Bloor Street) or the Hudson’s Bay Centre underground parking (Bloor Street and Park Road). Also consider using the TTC – we are equidistant between Yonge/ Bloor Station and Sherbourne Station.

By the time I got to church, it was just after 5 p.m. The moving company had come early and now I found myself late for an, albeit unscheduled, visit. I was ready to explore St. Paul’s informally and unofficially – only the doors were locked. That’s a danger of being new, you make assumptions about how things are and without knowing people to check in with – sometimes, those assumptions lead to locked doors. I have more practice than most at being new. I moved around growing up because of my dad’s job. Post un…

I said I wouldn’t complain about the summer heat, but this is stressful! Today is expected to be the hottest day of the summer, with temperatures potentially soaring to 34 C. How can I handle this heat and get the most out of summer? Certainly I want to avoid burns, dehydration and heat exhaustion. So what do the experts say? Am I doing everything I can to still enjoy summer and be safe? Let’s look at a list of safety measures to avoid heat-related emergencies. • Drink plenty of cool fluids…

Summer is a great time to shed the routines of the regular season. Between the months of September and June, whether you are a child in school or a very long way from that, routines seem to drive our lives. School, work, groups and activities all have their schedules and it’s not hard to feel like a little mouse on a big wheel going round and round.

Then summer comes! Ten glorious weeks and I don’t mean the weather. Weeks when the schedule is different, the days are longer and all things seem possible. We can read a book, go for a walk,…